Ashenden, Or: The British AgentAshenden: The British Agent is founded on Maugham's experiences in the English Intelligence Department during World War I, but rearranged for the purposes of fiction. This fascinating book contains the most expert stories of espionage ever written. For a period of time after it was first published the book became official required reading for persons entering the secret service. The plot follows the imaginary John Ashenden who during World War I is a spy for British Intelligence. He is sent first to Geneva and later to Russia. Instead of one story from start to finish, the chapters contain individual stories involving many different characters. All of the people whom Ashenden meets during his travels have their own reason for being involved in the spy game, and each are more complex than they first look. |
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Page 154
... fool as to risk my life for fifty pounds a month ? I love my wife . " Ashenden laughed outright . " I congratulate you . It is not everyone who can flatter himself that he has made a fool of our secret service for a year . " " I had the ...
... fool as to risk my life for fifty pounds a month ? I love my wife . " Ashenden laughed outright . " I congratulate you . It is not everyone who can flatter himself that he has made a fool of our secret service for a year . " " I had the ...
Page 171
... Fool ! It was only a little while since he had told Ashenden that he had not seen him at dinner . He wondered whether Caypor had observed the slip . How difficult it was never to make one ! Ashenden must be on his guard ; the thing that ...
... Fool ! It was only a little while since he had told Ashenden that he had not seen him at dinner . He wondered whether Caypor had observed the slip . How difficult it was never to make one ! Ashenden must be on his guard ; the thing that ...
Page 211
... The question came so oddly on the top of the other that it sounded faintly comic . " Oh , I think he's a damned fool . " Sir Herbert leaned back in his chair , holding the huge glass with both hands in order to bring out 211 HIS EXCELLENCY.
... The question came so oddly on the top of the other that it sounded faintly comic . " Oh , I think he's a damned fool . " Sir Herbert leaned back in his chair , holding the huge glass with both hands in order to bring out 211 HIS EXCELLENCY.
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agent Alix ambassador Anastasia Alexandrovna answer Ashen Ashenden felt Ashenden knew Ashenden looked Ashenden saw Ashenden thought asked Ashenden baroness bassador Bolsheviks Brindisi Byring Caypor chance Chandra Colonel course cried Delilah detective dine dinner door enden English everything eyes face Fafner feeling fellow fool France Fritzi gave Geneva German Giulia give glance Gustav Hairless Mexican hand Harrington head heart Herbert Witherspoon Holzminden hour humour lake laughed Lausanne Lazzari letter Lucerne married Mexican opened mind Miss King Monsieur morning neutral country never night notion O'Malley once opened Paris passport Petrograd play round Russian scrambled eggs seemed shoulders shrugged Sir Herbert sitting smile Somerville stood story Swiss Switzerland talk tell there's thing Thonon tion told took train turned Vladimir wait walked watched wife woman wondered word write